(a)The Archivist shall be responsible for the custody, use, and withdrawal of records transferred to him. When records, the use of which is subject to statutory limitations and restrictions, are so transferred, permissive and restrictive statutory provisions with respect to the examination and use of records applicable to the head of the agency from which the records were transferred or to employees of that agency are applicable to the Archivist and to the employees of the National Archives and Records Administration, respectively. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, when the head of a Federal agency states, in writing, restrictions that appear to him to be necessary or desirable in the public interest with respect to the use or examination of records being considered for transfer from his custody to the Archivist, the Archivist shall, if he concurs,,[1] impose such restrictions on the records so transferred, and may not relax or remove such restrictions without the written concurrence of the head of the agency from which the material was transferred, or of his successor in function, if any. In the event that a Federal agency is terminated and there is no successor in function, the Archivist is authorized to relax, remove, or impose restrictions on such agency’s records when he determines that such action is in the public interest. Statutory and other restrictions referred to in this subsection shall remain in force until the records have been in existence for thirty years unless the Archivist by order, having consulted with the head of the transferring Federal agency or his successor in function, determines, with respect to specific bodies of records, that for reasons consistent with standards established in relevant statutory law, such restrictions shall remain in force for a longer period. Restriction on the use or examination of records deposited with the National Archives of the United States imposed by section 3 of the National Archives Act, approved June 19, 1934, shall continue in force regardless of the expiration of the tenure of office of the official who imposed them but may be removed or relaxed by the Archivist with the concurrence in writing of the head of the agency from which material was transferred or of his successor in function, if any.

(b)With regard to the census and survey records of the Bureau of the Census containing data identifying individuals enumerated in population censuses, any release pursuant to this section of such identifying information contained in such records shall be made by the Archivist pursuant to the specifications and agreements set forth in the exchange of correspondence on or about the date of October 10, 1952, between the Director of the Bureau of the Census and the Archivist of the United States, together with all amendments thereto, now or hereafter entered into between the Director of the Bureau of the Census and the Archivist of the United States. Such amendments, if any, shall be published in the Register.

Section 3 of the National Archives Act, approved June 19, 1934, referred to in subsec. (a), was classified to section 300c of former Title 44, Public Printing and Documents, and was repealed by act June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title VI, § 602(a)(32), renumbered and added Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 7(d),64 Stat. 590.

1984—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–497, § 107(a)(2), substituted “the Archivist and to the employees of the National Archives and Records Administration” for “the Administrator, the Archivist of the United States, and to the employees of the General Services Administration”, struck out “and in consultation with the Archivist of the United States” before “impose such restrictions” in third sentence, struck out “the Archivist and” after “having consulted with” in fifth sentence, substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator of General Services” wherever appearing, and substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator” wherever appearing.

1978—Pub. L. 95–416designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted provisions permitting the Administrator to relax, remove, or impose restrictions in the public interest of records of agencies which have been terminated and requiring the Administrator with regard to duration of restrictions to consult with the Archivist and the head of the transferring Federal agency or his successor in function, and substituted “thirty years” for “fifty years”, and added subsec. (b).